(upbeat music)
Renee Rapp, I have a question for you.
You're the new Regina in Mean Girls on Broadway.
You're following in the steps of Rachel McAdams,
Taylor Louderman, how nerveracking
was this for you to take on?
- Oh, I mean, very, very.
Growing up being really obsessed with
the 'Mean Girls' movie and everything 'Mean Girls,'
when I learned about the musical it was just like
(snapping) kinda the same thing.
- Shut up.
- So I knew a lot about both of the girls going in.
And obviously Tina Fey.
But, on the same note,
to be able to follow in their footsteps.
- What's the hardest part of being Regina?
- It is mentally so taxing because you know
that when you go onstage,
♪ My name is Regina George ♪
♪ And I am a massive deal ♪
So some nights, if I don't feel fabulous in my costumes,
- Has playing Regina helped you with your own confidence?
Because, like I was just saying,
If I go to the theater and I don't feel fabulous,
I'm gonna have to go onstage
and pretend like I feel fabulous,
and put myself into that mindset.
And that is such, such a mind game
that is actually helpful for real life
because it allows me to like feel every emotion
that I have all the time and not let it bottle up.
'Cause when I let it bottle up it will come out.
- Regina has to sing the line, I never weigh more than 115.
And you've been very honest about saying, I'm a tall girl,
I don't remember the last time I weighed 115.
- No, I came out of the womb a buck 50.
Like no way do I weigh 115 pounds.
(laughing)
- Why is that important for young girls,
young anyone, to see?
- This is just something that I still deal with every day.
If I told you I was 115 pounds or 120 pounds,
But it's something that everybody battles.
And I myself struggle with it.
So in me saying, I'm so comfortable with not being that,
I still am always in my head about it, you know?
But I think it's so important to know
That's not realistic.
Because I am very blessed and fortunate
to have this job, I am playing Regina,
and I am nowhere near 115 pounds.
And I will never be.
And I'm very proud of that.
We're all so different, and that standard of beauty
is changing, and it will change.
But, there's some people who are
gonna have to fight through that.
And I'm one of them who's just
trying to fight through that right now.
- I think so many people see you as a powerhouse,
like 19 years old, on Broadway as Regina.
But really we're all going through the same things,
regardless of what we're doing.
- Oh, 100%.
I think the best thing that I can say is truly that,
we are all going through the same things.
Whether it be Beyonce, or whether you're chilling
at MAC, and you're just trying to get through the day.
To whatever extreme that you have.
Your feeling is your feeling for a reason,
you're validated, right?
And life is so amazing, and I am so blessed
and fortunate to have the job that I do,
and work with the people I get to work with.
My young self dreamt of this happening.
And now that I'm here, I'm still dealing
with exactly what I dealt with when I wanted to be here.
Because everything in your mind does not go away.
- So talented. - Thank you.
- I wanna know what's in store for you.
- As of right now, I'm in the show.
And I'm loving every minute of it.
I don't know if I'll do more Broadway after this.
I'm working on my music career right now.
But that's not to say that my music career
won't coincide with another show that I do.
Or I'll just do 'Mean Girls' for the next 50 years,
which I would be okay with.
Thank you so much Tina, and Jeff, and Lauren, and everybody.
I'll be joining you guys the rest of my life.
You're stuck with me.
No, but I'm not sure what I'll do.
I'm not sure.
But if anyone's out there watching,
I would be glad to join your show or your movie,
if you need a blond.
(laughing)
(upbeat music)